The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-06

"a SICK SISTER,"
How Confederate Spy Picked Up In
formation for Gen. Early.

| formation Tor Gen. early
From the Detroit Free Press
| While Shcridan's forces were lying In
camp, Just previous TO Earlys movement
and temporary victory by passing along
| the base of MassanuttOn mountain, al
Strasburg Va, | was sent into the Federal
! lines by Gen. Early TO pick up such in
| formation as could he had. The armies
were so close together that there was no
neutral ground between them for one Ia
operate on, and the task OF penetrating the
| lines seemed 10 me the most pcrilOus one
had yet undertaken. After casting about
for u day, and holding interviews with
some residents Of the vicinity who had
come into the Confederate lines for safety,
] decided on u plan.
On the pike leading out Of town and run
ming along the right flank and rear Of the
Federal army, on mt least part Of il, was a
Confederate war widow who could he de-
pended on. A part OF her house was then
occupied by Federal officers, and il was GER
tain to he depot for information. From
u woman in Strasburg borrowed u pretty
complete outfit OF wearing apparel, had my
long hair trimmed ~ many OF the southern
women wore theirs during the war, and
ut dark one night ! moved along the right
flank of the Federal army until two miles
below the point designed ~ make. Then
| put myself in female rig, arranged an
extra bundle, and struck the Middlctown
pike in the rear Of the Sixth corps. II
wasn't five minutes before ] was chal-
lcnged and an officer called to investigate,
and this in the story told
'My name is Maywurlh. my husband
was killed ut Bull Run. ! live in the log
house on the crosS-road coming in about a
mile from here where you people burned
the big red barns. My sister, Mrs.
ARROW, lives in the double log house Just
ny you raise the hill mile and hall
ahead. nm sick and worn out, and am
going Ia stay with her until this IL over
Scarcely u question was asked me. was
challenged twice more, but got of just M
easy. Having come in behind Il portion oi
the army in blue, no one could well slIs-
poet me, and, IN n matter Oi fact the
women Of that ncighborhood were shifting
about good deal, and there was no mill
tary reason why they should he stopped.
] reached Mrs. Arrows without mistake.
! knew that the fronts of both houses were
occupied by officers, and when ! APP
preached II was byth rear. had to pasSi
half u dozen ordcrlcs to get intothc house,
and though GONE ol them wanted Ia Jest
with me, no one intcrlcrcd with my move
mcnts. | found the woman Just ag she
han been described, intelligent, patriotic,
and very observing. She had been doing
cooking and laundry work for some of the
officers, and had kept her eyes and ears
open. On two occasions she had been
through the sixth corps, and she knew the
lay Of the ground clear down To the base Of
the mountain and the force OF cayarly hold
ing il.
| | had passed for u female very well at
night, hut | could not run too many
chances by daylight ! therefore went Ia
bed Ia play sick. was entirely bcardlcss
then, but We put n poulticc on my check
for neuralgia, tied cloth over the greater
share OF my face, and M ! lay IN bed with
my womans nighi-lr,ss on the makeup
WIS complete. Indeed, an army surgeon
came ia aud prescribed for me, and
two vivandicp visited me on two different
occasions without the imposition being de-
tected. ! was IN the house eight days and
nights, and between what heard and
what Mn. ARROW saw and picked up,
reported 10 Gen. Early on my return Ia his
headquarters the number OF Federal cav
airy holding the advance position within
80, the number Of field pieces within
three, the exact number ni carihworks and
length III brcasiworks, AMI the amount OF
artillery in the sixth corps, lacking three
or four guns.